


Surprises: Good and Bad

by Benwilson



Series: Miles Brown VS The Puckerbooty and Puppyboy [4]
Category: Glee, Rambling Wrecks
Genre: M/M, Mentions of Eating Disorder, Miles Brown loves all the people., None-Graphic Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-28
Updated: 2013-09-28
Packaged: 2017-12-27 21:14:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/983696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benwilson/pseuds/Benwilson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Miles Brown goes on an emotional roller coaster over a few days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surprises: Good and Bad

**Author's Note:**

> A big Thank You! to Patchfire and Raving_Liberal, as well as David_of_Oz who Beta'd for me. Any mistakes are my own!

“I don’t like him,” Casey said, as he sat down next to Miles, glaring at where Ryder was still buying food. “And I know you’re watching what I’m eating, so don’t even try to pull the wool over my eyes, Miles Brown.” He very pointedly put his tray of food, that was still too empty for Miles’ liking, down on the table loudly.

 

“Now, Cherry…" Miles started, but Casey’s glare silenced him, and Miles sighed, poking at his own food.

 

“She made me eat four pancakes this morning,” Casey grumbled, “and Rick says you went to the cinema with _him_.”

 

“Cherry, don’t be sore. He didn’t know anything about Coach. He was worried about you.” Miles said carefully, “I’ll give you a cherry pop if you eat all that.”

 

“You gonna tell Coach Beiste if I don’t?” Casey said, crossing his arms and pouting.

 

“I dunno, Cherry,” Miles shrugged awkwardly. “How about we don’t test it?”

 

“Hey! Miles!” Ryder’s voice came enthusiastically from a little way away, pulling Miles’ attention. “Can I sit here.”

 

Miles grinned warmly, gesturing to a seat, “It’s a free…”

 

“That seat’s taken,” Casey said quietly, not looking up from his food.

 

“There’s other seats Cherry,” Miles said quietly, frowning and shooting Ryder an apologetic look.

 

“They’re all taken,” Casey said quickly. “Miles is popular, he has a lot of friends, so we need a lot of seats.”

 

“Casey, don’t be mean now,” Miles whispered. “He only…"

 

“It’s cool! I’ll go eat… somewhere else,” Ryder said, brightly. “I’ll see you at practice, Miles.”

 

“You got it, Pup,” Miles said, before mouthing a ‘sorry’ to Ryder who just shrugged, and moved to another empty table. “Case.”

 

“He shouldn’t have told,” Casey said simply, picking at the edge if his food.

 

“Right,” Miles sighed, shaking his head softly, and watching Ryder push his food around on his plate dejectedly before he seemed to perk up and start smiling again.

 

Still, he felt guilty. Casey was his friend, but Ryder was a nice kid who was just trying to do the right thing. It wasn’t his fault that he said it to Coach Beiste, he was just pointing it out.

 

All Miles could do was keep the two of them apart. And since they hated each other, it might be easier than trying to keep Rick off his sister.

 

***

 

“I… uh… brought you some water.”

 

Miles glanced up from the grass at his feet, to the water bottle that was inches from his nose. “What?”

 

“I just… you looked thirsty, and we don’t get much of a break, so now you can rest and have water,” Ryder said, looking across the field. “Why’s Rick giving you a thumbs up?”

 

“Because that’s Foots thinking he’s being subtle.” Miles grinned, taking the water. “Thanks, Pup.”

 

“It’s cool.” Ryder grinned, and Miles could have sworn that, if the boy had a tail, it would have been wagging like a fan. “I should do something to help, since I’m your backup.”

 

“You planning on poisoning me, Pup?” Smirking, Miles took a quick sip of water, watching Ryder quickly try to apologize.

 

“No, No, I wouldn’t do that. I mean, I want to play but…"

 

“Relax. I’m messing with you.”

 

Ryder blushed and quickly started to nod. “Yeah, okay. So… I was wondering if you could show me a few moves, you know? Get me up to your level?”

 

Miles considered, looking over the field at the other wide receiver. The guy was okay, but Miles would much prefer to play alongside a friend. “What do I get out of it, Pup?”

 

“I’ll… I dunno. Pay for the next trip to the cinema?” Ryder said, smiling happily. “Come on, dude, it’ll be fun!”

 

“Who said we were going to the cinema again?” Miles asked curiously.

 

It was like someone had poured a bucket of water over Ryder’s head, and his eyes just… dropped to stare at the ground. His metaphorical tail would have frozen in mid-swish, and now be lying limp on the ground. “Oh… I didn’t… I guess I thought that we had fun.”

 

Well, now Miles felt like a big bag of dicks. “Hey, Pup, listen. I wasn’t saying no. I was just asking if my sister had been making more plans behind my back.” He frowned softly, trying to get Ryder to meet his eyes. “Seriously, I had fun too. Don’t be going all crazy.”

 

Ryder glanced up, frowning a little. “You’re sure?”

 

“Yeah. Why don’t we hang around after practice, huh?”

 

“Yeah, that’d be great.” The bright grin was back, and Ryder was actually bouncing on his toes a little. “I better get back to the bench, but I’ll be here.”

 

“Awesome.” Miles laughed, patting him on the back. “My own personal waterboy.”

 

“I just like helping.”

 

***

 

Miles pulled into the parking spot at 10 am, giving himself a quick once over in the mirror. He had to drive back and meet Casey at 2 for their usual meeting, but he could probably snag one of the early arrivals on the way in, and that way, nobody would know he’d been here.

 

He quickly fired back a text to Casey, promising some Code Red Mountain Dew, if Coach Beiste said he’d eaten all his breakfast, and rolled his eyes at the sad face emoticon. He quickly climbed out of the car, and moved over to the front of the building, leaning against the brickwork as he texted with Casey.

 

_Two Bottles!_

 

_Depends what you’re having, Cherry._

 

_And a ring pop, maybe even two ring pops_

 

_Cherry, don’t try to dodge my question now._

 

_They’re really big pancakes, Miles, I don’t know if my stomach can hold them_

 

_Two bottles then, you’re already getting sweets. I don’t think I can be your friend if you don’t have teeth._

 

_I bet I’d look awesome without teeth, like a pirate or something!_

 

_And then Shep’d break my neck. I like my neck, Cherry!_

 

_Why’d you have to bring him up_

 

Miles sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. _You spoke to him?_

 

_He’s busy with college, and I dont know if someone told him yet_

 

_I didn’t._

 

_I’m not risking it, he’ll be home for Thanksgiving soon anyway._

 

“Hey. I know you from somewhere.” A voice came from Rick’s side, and he made a noncommittal noise as he quickly shot back a _Talk to him, Cherry. Tell him how you feel._ Before he turned to look at the new arrival.

 

“Well… shit.”

 

Jake’s lips twitched up, almost a smirk that Miles had to admit was a devastating combination with the leather jacket and the devil-may-care smirk, and when he spoke Miles was hooked. “Yeah, I definitely remember you. You’re the loudmouth on the football team.”

 

“I ain’t loud,” Miles muttered, shoving his phone into his pocket. “I’m just noticeable.”

 

“You sure are that.”

 

Miles grinned, tilting his head. “You know, I come up here pretty often. Haven’t seen you before.”

 

“I don’t. Come up here often, I mean. A kid mentioned it to me though, said his friend comes up here to ‘make friends’. Then a cheerleader said I should probably miss after two on a Saturday.”

 

Miles rolled his eyes at that. “Course she did. So… you come to make friends?”

 

“I’m a friendly kind of guy.” Jake nodded, his eyes slowly tracking down Miles’ body. “What’ve you got in mind?”

 

“You know, friendly things.” Miles grinned, nodding towards the car. “Wanna get out of here?”

 

“Sure.” Jake laughed, pushing himself off the wall. “I’m warning you though. I’ve got my phone, and like… 10 dollars in my wallet. So, mugging me won’t do you any good.”

 

“I’m sure you’ll find something else to give me.”

 

***

 

Miles made a low groan as he rolled awkwardly over into the drivers seat. “You could’ve waited until we got into the back, you know?”

 

“Hey, you weren’t complaining at the time.” Jake grinned, rolling so his ass was back underneath himself. “And you had all that space behind you, I just had the car door against my face.”

 

“You’ve seen how small this car is, wasn’t a whole lotta space behind me.” Miles rolled his eyes and shuffled his jeans back up. “I guess we’re just lucky you’re so flexible.”

 

“Mmhm.” Jake grinned, resting his head back against the car seat. “You know, now I know you’re at McKinley, I might not have to go so far for a hookup.”

 

“You make it sound like I’m going to be waiting by the phone,” Miles laughed, shaking his head. A small voice in the back of his mind made an argument about his _rules_ , that this was a _one time thing_. But... Hell, it wouldn’t hurt for it to be a two time thing, or a three time thing, right? Jake was damn good at this, and it’d be a shame not to try that out a few more times.

 

Jake shrugged, finally pulling his pants up. “Who says I’m gonna call? There’s… closets I can drag you into.”

 

“Who says I’ll let you?”

 

“You. ’Cause I know you’re gonna want to try this again, stood up, or with a bed.” Jake grinned, shrugging his leather jacket back on.

 

Miles shook his head softly in disbelief. “You don’t have a shortage of self esteem, do you?”

 

“No way man. I’m a stud.”

 

“All right, Stud.” Miles rolled his eyes. “Where do you want me to drop you off?”

 

“The Center would be good. I know how to get back from there.” Jake grinned, stretching as best he could. “I’m sorry about the stain.”

 

“What stain?” Miles frowned, wiping his hand on his jeans. “I thought I caught it all!”

 

“Hey! It’s a tiny space!” Jake glared, but he was still grinning. “It’ll clean up. Think of it as a memento.”

 

“I’ll think of it as a thing to pay you back for,” Miles muttered back, smirking. “Take it out on that ass of yours between classes.”

 

“Or yours before a football match?” Jake snorted. “And you just agreed for a round two.”

 

“Shut up.” Miles rolled his eyes, turning the keys in the ignition. “I need to get back to Lima, so let’s get going.”

 

***

 

“Miles, your car smells funny,” Casey finally muttered after five minutes of awkward silence along the highway.

 

“I left the windows open best I could, Cherry,” Miles said, smile plastered to his face. “I don’t know what it could be.”

 

“I think you know what it is. And I’m saying I better not be sat where it happened,” Casey muttered, shifting uncomfortably. “I’m mad at you.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Mad at Ryder too.”

 

“That’s your prerogative, Cherry.”

 

“And Aunt Shannon, and Uncle Monty.”

 

“Be mad at all the people you like,” Miles assured. “Just so long as you’re looking after yourself.”

 

“David wouldn’t…"

 

“I’m stopping you right there, because you know Shep would.”

 

Casey froze, and then shook his head crossing his arms. “You went to the Center without me.”

 

“I didn’t want you sitting there while I got it all out of my system.”

 

They managed to make it all the way to the Center without arguing, but they were a few minutes late.

 

“They’re gonna have started the group meeting, Cherry. Sure you wanna go in late?” Miles asked, as he pulled into the parking lot.

 

“Sure,” Casey sighed, clicking off his seatbelt. “And then…"

 

“Then?” Miles prompted, the last thing Coach Beiste had said to him burning at the back of his mind. Still… Casey had to tell him first.

 

“Aunt Shannon says I gotta go to Dr. Naser after the Center, and wait for her to pick me up,” Casey finally bit out, as though the words physically hurt, “or I’m not allowed to come up anymore.”

 

“You know _I’m_ not gonna make you,” Miles shrugged, his voice quiet.

 

“I should probably go.”

 

“You probably should.”

 

“Fine. But I want my ring pop now,” Casey sighed defeatedly, grabbing it from the glove compartment. “Come on, I don’t want them pissed at us.”

 

“They’re always pissed at me, Cherry.” Miles grinned, getting out of the car and making sure it was locked. “Why don’t you walk in first?”

 

“That’s just so they’ll all glare at me isn’t it?”

 

“No-one can stay mad at you, Cherry.”

 

It was a quick walk into the center, and luckily they were still setting up chairs for the new people. Casey and Miles took their seats as people chatted back and forth.

 

“Alright guys, there’s new members, so why doesn’t everyone introduce themselves.”

 

The first few went by quickly, and Miles pretty much tuned them out, until he heard a familiar voice.

 

“Call me Puckerman.” Jake’s voice rang out, making Miles jolt in his seat. “No nicknames, just... Puckerman.”

 

It was a strange feeling for Miles. It was like someone flicked a switch, and all of a sudden, his mind was filled with white noise, and his body stopped responding.

 

“That’s Jake, Miles! I didn’t know he came to the Center,” Casey practically squeaked, bouncing a little in his seat. “We’ve got to go say hi after, right? Before you make a new friend?”

 

Fuck.

 

“I’m dead.” Miles let out barely a breath. “I’m so dead.”

 

“Why’re you dead, Miles?” Casey asked, his face suddenly worried. “Did you do something wrong?”

 

“Brass is gonna have my balls. Brass is gonna take my skull as a trophy,” Miles said, shaking his head softly, and before Casey could respond, he stood up, knocking the seat out from underneath himself. “I… uh… I need to go.”

 

“We just got here, Miles,” Casey whined, but it was drowned out by the fact that Jake was staring at him, looking confused.

 

“I know…” he mumbled. “I’ll… I’ll take you anywhere you want, if we leave now.”

 

Casey frowned, and stood up, waving goodbye to April as they quickly slid out of the back of the Center and into Miles’ car. Miles managed to hold it together for a good half an hour, taking Casey for coffee, and doughnuts that Casey hid in the glove compartment. Then he dropped him off at Dr. Naser’s office, and pulled into a random parking lot, resting his head against the steering wheel, and taking in a deep breath.

 

“Fuck.”


End file.
